This invention relates to photography and, more particularly, to creating combined photographic or slide transparency copies of two existing slide transparencies.
From an artistic perspective and a practical perspective, it is often desirable to combine incongruous photographs or slide transparencies onto a single slide or photograph. Often such combinations are created to form a collage comprised of images from a variety of visual experiences. From a practical standpoint, it is also desirable to show before-and-after pictures on the same photograph or transparency or, similarly a comparison-type photograph or transparency showing two or more distinct places, people, or things for numerous reasons.
Cameras and lenses for cameras have been designed and some have been patented which allow the user to create a photographic collage on a single photograph or slide transparency. Most of the collage-creating cameras or lenses, however, only allow for the making of the collage at the particular time a photograph is being taken. Accordingly, these inventions make it difficult to take a before-and-after picture wherein the time period between the before-and-after states is relatively long. The present cameras or lenses generally allow the operator to take pictures on separate parts of the film by using a masking device to block out portions of the film while other portions of the film are being exposed. Accordingly, a picture can be taken of separate images and combined onto one picture using the masking process but the finished product is limited to images available in and around the same time period and geographical location.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,748 to Lemanski discloses a camera attachment which allows the photographer to develop on a single print, different and previously separate images. As disclosed, the invention is capable of creating split image transparency slides for projection onto a screen. However, as discussed, the photographer is limited by his present geographical location and is limited to those images currently available to him. Accordingly, the invention is not useful for creating a before-and-after picture or slide having a large time period between the before-and-after states nor is it capable of taking pictures of slides and exposing them onto a single slide or photograph.
Similar to Lemanski, U.S. Pat. No. 4,896,176 to Barrett discloses a camera for making collage photographs. The camera is of the instant variety which incorporates a template to be used with the instant film pack. Film transparencies that bear prephotographed images can be placed on certain areas of the template while the remaining uncovered portion of the template is the area in which a new photograph can be exposed upon taking a picture with the camera. As a result, a collage photograph or even a before-and-after picture can be formed even when large time periods have passed between the capturing of the images to be combined on film. However, the camera can only be used with instant photography and cannot be used to make slide transparencies.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,175 to Sullivan discloses a camera for copying a photographic transparency and reproducing an enlarged refection print. A transparency is placed in a holder attached to an attachment that is placed on the camera. The photograph is accomplished in part by directing light through the rear surface of the transparency which is positioned on the attachment. However, the device disclosed is used for making instant photographs and does not have the ability to photograph several transparencies onto one new exposure. Accordingly, a before-and-after or combination photograph or transparency cannot be produced by using this camera attachment.